When a Tornado Meets a Volcano
by Luv2Party
Summary: Enter Katrina Jackson, badass cousin of the Curtises, who comes to Tulsa after eleven years on the streets of New York's West Side. She meets Dallas Winston. Can they stop hating long enough to fall in love? Rated T for language, suggestive themes, and possible future chapters! My first fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**My first fanfiction. Enjoy. All rights to original owners - I own nothing but Katrina. **

Katrina Jackson stepped out, into the humid air of Tulsa. She stretched her legs, glad to be off that damn train. It's a long way from New York to Oklahoma. She looked around, scanning the crowded station for her cousins Darrel, Sodapop, and Ponyboy. Very odd names. How had Darry gotten off so easy?

Just then, she noticed a guy that seriously looked like a pro wrestler. He was totally ripped, and from that swagger in his walk, she guessed he knew it, too. Katrina was good at judging people at first glance. In New York, it's the only way to survive. No doubt about it: Darrel Curtis. His eyes were colder than she remembered, and his features harder, but definitely him.

"Darry!" she yelled, throwing herself into his arms. He stiffened slightly, expecting a more formal greeting.

Katrina smiled. "What did you expect? A handshake and a how-is-your-day?"

He sighed. "Hey, Katrina, long time, no see."

She looked up at him. "Oh, please, that's the best you can do?" She said this with a friendly smile, so he knew she was kidding.

He cracked a smile. "Same old Kat, sassy as ever."

"You know it," she replied.

A snobby male voice from behind them said, "Aaaw, greaser love."

Katrina whirled around and glared at him. She was very proud of her glare. "I don't think you'd _love _a kick to the face, so just keep on walkin'." The rat-faced boy looked like he was trying to come up with some snappy retort (probably Katrina's comment was too complex for his undersized brain), but one of his little friends gave him a nudge that said, _Not worth it. Keep going. _

Katrina turned back around and made a disgusted face at Darry. "A Soc, I presume?" Darry had given her a brief run-down on how things worked in Tulsa.

He nodded. "Yeah. They make our lives pretty miserable around here."

"I can handle them rich-ass boys."

"Don't go picking fights, Katrina. They may be suckish fighters, but there are usually about ten of 'em."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it, Kat. Pick your battles."

She looked thoughtful. "I can take care of myself. New York girl, ya dig?"

Darry decided to drop this particular issue for now. Little progress was being made. "So, you bring any bags?"

"Just one," Kat replied, lifting a medium-large suitcase.

"And I guess you want me to carry it?" he said.

She laughed. "You'd better, with those big muscles of yours. You goin' for a Superman look?" Darrel didn't reply as he lifted her bag into his car.

"Hop in," he said.

They drove through a little neighborhood, with houses of varying degrees of disrepair. After a minute of silence, Katrina spoke. "Listen Darry…I'm really grateful you're letting me stay with you. Of course I'll work to pay for myself, like I said. And I'll try not to raise your power and water bills too much."

Darrel glanced over at her. "Kat, it's no big deal. You needed help. We're happy to provide it. You're welcome here for as long as you like."

She tried to smile, but looked troubled. "You'll get tired of me before long. I'm not a great houseguest."

"No, I won't. What are you bugging about?"

"Well…it's just, I've never really asked for charity before. I've always paid my own way, with help from no one. This just feels weird. A blow to the pride, I guess."

"We're not giving you charity, Kat. We're helping you out, and you said you're going to pay for yourself, anyway."

"Ok. But really, thanks Darry."

"You're welcome, Katrina."

Finally, they arrived at a somewhat small, cozy-looking house. The paint was peeling a bit, but the structure looked strong. "Here we are," Darry said, parking the car. "A word to the wise before you go in: this house is constantly full of boys. Our gang hangs here a lot, and obviously even without that I got my two brothers. If you want privacy…you'll have to lock your door."

Katrina grinned, her beautiful green eyes seeming amused at his concerns. "Don't you worry 'bout that," she replied. "Growin' up on the streets doesn't make you very self-conscious. I'll be fine. That gang of yours here now?"

"Naw, I told 'em all we'd have some company today. You'll need to meet them tomorrow, but I figured if you saw them right away you might change your mind about wanting to stay with us."

"Are they that bad?"

"Only sometimes."

"Which one's the worst?"

Darry thought a minute. "Probably Dallas. He's a rude, mean one, but he's all right once you get to know him."

"Sounds charming."

"Just don't get on his nerves. You'll get along fine."

Katrina chuckled. "Duly noted. Let's go talk to the oddly-named brothers of yours." She had just stepped out of the car and gone a few steps when she heard the screen door open and slam shut.

"You're heeeeerrrreee!" an excited voice said.

Katrina laughed. "Hey, Sodapop,"

"You remember me!" the boy, who was indeed Sodapop Curtis, said as he wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Hard not to," said Kat. "You've always hugged me hard enough to bruise my ribs."

Sodapop grinned. "That's me."

"You don't get me all to yourself," Katrina joked, "Where's Pony?" Soda looked around, probably realizing he hadn't even made sure the door hadn't slammed on Ponyboy. Idiot. But he was an adorable idiot.

"Pony!" Soda and Kat called.

"Geez, you didn't even care I _existed _when that door hit me in the head, Soda." Ponyboy grumbled, emerging from the house rubbing his forehead.

"Pony!" Kat said, "how ya doin'?"

Ponyboy stopped and looked at Katrina for a while. He was always uncomfortable around pretty girls, and Katrina definitely qualified. Her silky-looking hair held a mix of blond, brown, gold, even some red. It fell to a bit past her shoulders. Her face looked hard and lean, like a dangerous wild animal. Katrina was not a girl to mess with. Oh, sure, her complexion was very pretty and sharply cut. There was just an extra dimension there that told everyone she met that she wasn't some daffodil. Though her emerald green eyes were pretty and dancing at the moment, he figured they could go stormy, cold, and mean in an instant. Her body was lean and slim, though well-muscled. He figured a guy like Dallas or Two-Bit would say she had a great body. It was true, she had some nice curves (not that Ponyboy took notice, since they were, after all, cousins). But Katrina herself was more proud of the advantage her lithe yet strong body gave her in a fight. She wore simple clothing: faded skinny jeans, a black shirt, and black combat boots with a slight heel. She looked dangerous. But pretty. Quite pretty.

During Ponyboy's observation of her, Katrina was staring at him with an amused expression. "Geez, Pony, take a picture. It'll last longer," she finally said.

Ponyboy looked up at her. Yes, she was taller than him. He found it depressing. "I was just thinking about how much you've changed since I saw you last," Pony replied. "

Yeah, people tend to look different after three years," she smart-mouthed back. Then, with an easy grin, she added, "Except you. You're still a tiny little thing." Ponyboy hesitated, seeming unsure whether or not she was serious. She dispelled his worries by saying next, "Kidding, Pony. You need to develop a sense of humor. Come here!" Katrina opened her arms wide, inviting him for a hug.

Hesitantly, Ponyboy stepped up and wrapped his arms around Katrina. BIG mistake. In a second, he felt her arms closing around _him _in a bear hug. It felt like someone was trying to squeeze him until his insides came out. "People…need…breathe…air." He managed to choke out.

Katrina smirked and released him. "Glory, Pony, you couldn't take _that?_ What do you do when your big bear of a brother gives you a hug?" she said, indicating Darry, who almost smiled. Well, that was progress. Katrina tended to make people she was around either laugh or cuss. Call it one of her many talents.

For the next few hours, Katrina and the Curtises sat in their living room, getting acquainted. The Curtises did most of the talking, filling Kat in on their lives, how things worked on this side of town, and the member of their gang. Kat offered little about herself, mostly because she despised talking about herself. She hadn't had a happy childhood, living on the streets since she was eight. New York's West Side is not a friendly place for anyone, least of all a young girl. Katrina was seventeen now. She'd been stealing and fighting and sleeping on benches for nine years. She remembered half-starving, being stabbed and shot, and being frightened for her life almost daily. How do you put that into words?

Really, it was a miracle Katrina had retained any feeling at all. She was sassy, cold and hard, and didn't take orders from anyone. She wouldn't put up with any shit from any person alive. But still, she had a sense of humor. She could laugh and have fun. And once you won her loyalty, she would in turn be the most loyal (but not most gentle) friend you ever had.

Of course, Kat herself said none of this. The conversation went something like this:

"Kat, what about you? We've been doin' all the talkin'."

"Maybe I'm actually a mass murderer and I don't want you to know because I'm afraid you'll rat me out. Anything's possible."

"Come on, Kat. What was your life like?"

With a sigh, Katrina relented and said, "I grew up in New York's West Side. I have been primarily living on the streets since I was eight, with some temporary lodgings in thrown in there occasionally. I was arrested for the first time at age ten for robbing a grocery store. When I was fifteen I got my first job. I was a hooker."

She gave Darry a few seconds to get worked up about that last statement before laughing.

"Relax, Dar. I was a waitress. You always this intense?"

It was Soda who answered. "Pretty much." Darry shot him a dirty glance.

Katrina continued, "Then I lost my job a few months ago. Got arrested, boss said he didn't want me there anymore. Kinda silly, really. He knew about my record when he hired me. Since I couldn't pay my rent, landlord evicted me, and so on. By then I was damn sick and tired of livin' like an ant. So I dug up y'all's phone number and called. You were there for the rest."

Sodapop looked sorry for her. "Geez, Kat, none of us knew you had it that rough. I'm sorry."

Katrina shook her head. "Don't be sorry. I don't want pity from no one. Really, it wasn't quite as bad as it sounds. Once you get used to it, this house seems like luxury."

Ponyboy spoke for the first time in a few minutes. "Where were your parents during this whole thing?"

Immediately, Pony could tell he'd hit a touchy subject. Katrina's face just totally shut down. It gained a hard, mask-like expression, devoid of any feeling. She would give away nothing. Finally, she spoke. "My father was in New York. Most of the time, I would sneak into the kitchen at night for food. The rest of the time, I didn't go near that house."

"Not too nice?"

"You could say that. He hurt me pretty much whenever he saw me, and tried to rape me once."

No one could think of a response to that. In a way, they all felt guilty. They thought they had it bad, parents dying and all that. But Kat had it even worse: one of her parents was alive.

"What about your mom?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I left home the year she did. When I was eight."

Even though she hated pity, Soda felt like he had to say _something. _"I'm sorry, Kat."

She laughed, and it appeared to be a real laugh, not a fake, 'I'm-pretending-I'm-okay' laugh. She actually seemed amused.

"Don't be sorry," she said, "my mother was a bitch. I'm a whole lot better off without her, trust me." She stood. Noticing the worried looks directed at her from the three Curtises, she smirked and said, "Don't look at me like an old lady on her sickbed. I'm considerable more attractive than the average old lady, and I'm not sick besides. I know that by most standards, my life sucked, but I've kinda accepted that I have pretty damn bad luck. Anyway, now I'm kinda startin' over. Right?"

It was Darry who answered. "Yep. You never have to live like that again, Kat." She glared at him. He quickly added, "Not that you can't handle it. It's just that you shouldn't _have_ to." Darry apparently understood Katrina pretty well. She hated people to think she was weak in any way. Say she can't fight, she'll flatten you. Call her dumb, she'll go out of her way to outwit you in any way possible. Katrina had never set foot in a school in her life, but she was really damn smart.

"We done with the reality TV interrogation?" she drawled, sounding bored. "I'm not much for those mushy moments."

Grinning at Sodapop, she added, "Just like I see you're not much for personal hygiene."

"Hey!" Soda protested, while Pony roared with laughter and even Darry let out a chuckle. "I can see you're not much for brains," Soda retorted.

Kat smiled slyly, and shot back, "No, I was actually telling the truth. You have a booger up your nose." You never saw anyone run faster for the bathroom mirror in your life.

"Kat," Darry said when he was able to speak after his laughter subsided, "you'll make our lives much more interesting around here."

"It's one of my many advantages," Kat replied. "You mind if I take a look around town? Want to get to know the place, and I don't want to be in the house when Soda finishes probing his nose and figures out I was lying."

Darry was extremely protective of his brothers and probably wouldn't have let them go by themselves. It was getting close to dark, after all. But Kat was used to her freedom. She was a seasoned New York street fighter, and probably wouldn't listen to him anyway. "I don't know…" Darry hesitated, uneasy with the idea.

"Come on," Katrina pressed, "I know how to fight. And I carry a switch." She reached into her pocket and flicked out a switchblade. It was shiny and razor-sharp. Katrina obviously kept it in good shape. "I'll be back in a few hours." Katrina turned to walk out the door, regardless of Darry's answer.

"Two hours!" he called after her.

"Maybe!" she called back.

Darry stared after her, shaking his head. Life was sure going to be different with that little fireball. Soda emerged from the bathroom, looking cross. "She lied," he said in a grumpy voice, plopping down on the couch.

"No kidding?" Darry answered sarcastically as he went to the stove to cook dinner. His little brothers liked their dinner early.

"Didn't she seem a lot like Dallas to you?" Ponyboy asked. "If Dallas was a girl and actually had a sense of humor, I mean."

Darry thought for a minute. "You're right Pone, they are kind of alike."

Sodapop spoke up, "We have got to get these two together! They'll either kill each other, or get along great! Although, the 'kill' option is probably more likely because Kat will sass him, and that will make Dally mad, so he'll yell at her, and she'll yell back, and he'll threaten her to stop and she won't listen. Then they'll hate each other's guts for the rest of their lives."

"Geez, little buddy, you got this all planned out," Darry responded as he stuck some mac'n'cheese in the microwave. He had to feed them, that didn't mean he had to feed them _well._ Katrina would hopefully be back in a few hours. He would make something a bit nicer for her.

She would be a part of their family now.

**You like? Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Katrina breathed in, glad to be out in the fresh air. She was incredibly grateful to her cousins for letting her stay with them, of course, but a girl needs some 'alone' time. She lengthened her long, loping stride. Her walk was unique - it displayed a certain amount of pride, almost a regal quality. But she also had a slouch that was the effect of the slummy streets of NYC. Some greasy hood eyed her from the shadows of an alleyway. She raised her chin and matched his gaze with an utterly cold glare of her own. After a moment, the hood looked away. Katrina smirked. She had won. Taking another cigarette out of her pocket, she lit it and took a long drag. Then Katrina realized she was almost out of cancer sticks. Time to go to the store.

Katrina started walking toward some little grocery store she'd seen earlier. With any luck, they'd have some Kools in an easy place to swipe them. She wasn't going to _pay _for them. She walked through the door, and an annoying bell jinged. The cigarettes were easy to find, and sure enough there were plenty of Kools. It would look too suspicious to just walk in and walk out without buying anything, so Katrina reconciled herself to wandering around the store aimlessly for a few minutes. Hell, maybe she could grab a piece of chocolate while she was at it. Katrina was a sucker for an occasional sweet.

After walking around the store randomly for a few minutes, Katrina was about ready to leave. She had a few candy bars in her pocket, and had just picked up a few packs of cigarettes. Just then, she heard a raspy voice behind her saying some very dirty things. It was obvious that he wanted her to hear, as he was talking in an unnecessarily loud voice. Kat was quite accustomed to dirty talk. Inner city girl, hello? But now she found it kind of annoying.

She sighed and turned around to face him, rolling her eyes and saying, "Get away from me and shut your fucking trap."

He didn't appear to care. "Who's gonna make me?"

Kat decided not to pursue the point that _she_ could make him. "What the hell do you want?"

He grinned a perverted grin and said, "I think you know what I want, babe."

Well, he wasn't going to get it from her. "Hmm. I suggest you stick a golf club up your ass instead."

That kinda pissed him off. Taking a step closer to her, he said, "No one talks to me like that."

Big deal. "Are you deaf? Because I think I just did."

"Fiery, huh? That's how I like 'em." Handing her a Coke, he said, "This might cool you off, broad."

She took the Coke and gave him an incredulous look. Was he just that stupid? Because he was _not_ getting the message here.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were lost in a desert." And Katrina dumped the Coke all over the greasy blond hood. "That might cool _you_ off, asshole. Now go jump off a cliff and I might cool off, too."

He wiped the Coke out of his eyes and gave a dangerous smile. He was really mad. A normal girl would have beat it out of there, but Kat could handle one pissed off hood. Even if this one did look almost as tough as she was. He took another step closer, until Katrina could smell his breath. It smelled like smoke and beer. She met his icy blue eyes with an unwavering stare. Kat's hand found her back pocket, where her switchblade was. She was ready to pull it if this bastard tried anything.

But he didn't have time. A quiet, timid voice from behind them said, "Leave her alone, Dallas."

Kat turned around. The speaker was dark-haired and shy-looking. He couldn't have been more than about fourteen. The blond hood, Dallas, looked at the younger boy like he'd just sprouted two heads. "_What_ did you just say to me?"

The dark-haired one gulped and turned a shade paler. He managed to squeak, "You heard me. Leave her alone." Dallas looked irritated, but apparently decided that Katrina wasn't worth it, because he stormed out of the store, casting one last hateful look at her.

Katrina looked at Johnny and grinned. She said in an amused voice, "That was Dallas Winston, was it?"

Johnny of course had no way of knowing who Katrina was. He had no idea that she knew about Dally because of the Curtis's detailed descriptions of each of the gang members. Her suspicions had been confirmed when Johnny said 'Dallas.' But being rather shy, he simply nodded instead of asking how she knew.

Kat fixed Johnny with her green-eyed, x-ray gaze, making him turn red and look at the floor. "So you must be Johnny… Johnny Cade," she murmured.

He looked up, surprised. "How did you know that?"

"I'm a government spy. Just kidding. I'm Darry, Soda, and Pony's cousin. I guess they told you I'd be coming?"

Recollection dawned in Johnny's eyes. "Oh, you're their cousin! They said their cousin would be coming, but I didn't know it was you."

"Neither did Dallas, apparently. Unless he just treats everyone like that?" Katrina replied.

Johnny shook his head. "Dally's rough, but he's a cool old guy. He'd leave you alone if he knew you."

She nodded sarcastically. "Oh, so he's only an asshole to strangers! Well, _that_ makes it all better, then."

Johnny looked at his feet, embarrassed. He had only known this girl a few minutes, but he could tell that she was not only quite smart, she was completely no-nonsense. It kind of scared him. Although then again, he should be used to it, living with Dally and all.

Katrina smiled softly. Johnny seemed ok. At least, he wasn't the kind of guy she'd have to beat in order to make him get out of her room or something like that. Darry had filled her in on the abuse Johnny suffered at the hands of his alcoholic father. Kat didn't completely understand why Johnny put up with it, but she guessed it wasn't her problem.

"I should probably get back there before Darry files a missing person report," Katrina said. "Want to come with?" Johnny nodded. Katrina seemed unsurprised, so he guessed that one of her cousins had given her some idea of what Johnny's parents were like. This embarrassed him slightly, but he figured she would find out eventually. Better now than later.

They walked out of the store. Kat tossed him a cigarette. He murmured thanks, and lit up. "You just lift that?" he asked.

Katrina rolled her eyes companionably. "No, I bought it," she said sarcastically. Johnny couldn't think of a response, so he stayed quiet.

A minute later, some Socs pulled up in one of their fancy red cars. There were only three. Katrina surveyed the Terrible Trio with distaste. _These _were the kind of people the greasers were afraid of? She could beat them blindfolded, with one hand behind her back. Although, they would be much more intimidating in larger numbers.

The Socs rolled down the window. Johnny tensed, ready to run, but Katrina noticed out of the corner of her eye and shook her head slightly. Meaning, _Not yet. Let's see how this plays out. _One of the Socs called out to them, "Hey greasers, you want a ride?"

Katrina cocked her head in mock thoughtfulness as she took a long drag on her cigarette, and then said, "Nah, we're good. You're welcome to leave and get out of our territory now, though." Her voice had grown low and threatening.

One of them laughed. "You think you can boss us around, greaser girl? Come on. Let's show her how we do things."

The three rich brats got out of their car and started moving towards Katrina. Fast as lightning, Katrina's polished, razor-sharp switchblade was out and open, pointing towards the Socs. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you," she chastised them.

"Or what?" one of them asked.

"Or your guts might end up where your feet should be," she replied. "This knife is so sharp it will cut paper. Want to find out what it will do to your stomach?"

This was the time of Kat's life. She loved, loved, _loved _going up against someone she knew she could beat. It was just fun, like practice. She already knew what she'd do if the dumb assholes decided to attack: kick the first one in the balls, sidestep the second and put the third in a choke hold while holding her knife to his neck. Even these guys would back off if one of their lives was threatened. Everyone did.

Meanwhile, Johnny stared at her with something like awe. He had seen Dally do the same thing to the Socs, and Dallas was the toughest person he knew. But Katrina seemed just as capable. The Socs seemed to be considering their next move.

Katrina rolled her eyes, looking blasé. "Ok, this is officially boring," she sighed, "Either attack me so I can whip your asses, or get the fucking hell out of here." The Socs seemed to decide on the latter, because they started back towards their fancy car.

"You ain't worth it," one of them smarted. Really, did he think Kat was just going to let that go? She wrapped her arm around his neck, and drove her knee into the back of his. A blow like that is gonna _hurt. _He went to the ground, whimpering like a little baby, so one of his friends helped him into the car.

Katrina smiled sweetly at the remaining two. "Anyone else?" she asked. Wisely, neither of them said anything. They got in their car and drove away.

Kat turned and smiled at Johnny. "We should get home." He nodded, and walked beside her.

After a while, he spoke, "I don't think I want you as an enemy."

Katrina chuckled. "Got that right, kid. I'd be a pretty damn bad enemy."

Katrina had a hard life. Any capacity for compassion or care that she had been born with had been driven out of her by her constant battle for survival. But she wasn't cruel, just hard, cold. And none of it was her fault. But Katrina thought none of this as she walked to her house with Johnny. She only thought about how this seemed like a place where she could actually be happy. Of course, it couldn't last. It never did. Sooner or later, it would be gone, like all the other safe places, and she would have to move on again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter, sorry it took me so long. Just to clarify, the events of the book will not happen in this story. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, keep 'em coming! Thanks for reading!**

"You did _what?"_ Darry asked, appearing way overexcited about the whole thing. Kat guessed telling him about her encounter with Dallas while he was sweating over a hot stove hadn't been the brightest idea.

Katrina shrugged. "I dumped Coke on his head and told him to jump off a cliff," she replied, "he was _so_ asking for it. And it's not like I knew he was one of your friends." This argument had been going on for a while. Darry was stubborn. She had to give him that.

Darry sighed, "I guess you're right. But that's not good, Katrina. He's Dallas Winston. He doesn't forget an insult, and you can be sure he won't forgive one."

By this point, Katrina was rather fed up. The asshole had practically _begged_ for a Coke on the head. Besides, nobody harasses Katrina and gets away with it. "Look, I did what I did, and you don't have to be happy about it, but it's over! I can take three Socs, I think I can handle him!"

Darry was surprised - Katrina hadn't mentioned any run-in with the Socs. "Dally's no Soc, Kat. He's about ten times more dangerous, even when he's in a good mood. But when did you take on three Socs?"

Johnny was the one who spoke, "When we were walkin' home after the store. These three Socs drove up and started yellin' at us. Katrina told them to go away, so they got out and were gonna attack when Kat pulled out her switch. They hesitated, but one of 'em smarted off. She kicked him to the ground, then let the others pick him up and drive away." This was a long speech for Johnny, but since he wasn't talking about himself he was much more comfortable.

"Damn, Katrina, just how many people are you trying to piss off in one night? All of the West Side? All of the East Side? Both?" Darry considered himself a patient individual (others may or may not agree with him), but he really didn't want his most recent addition to their household to become the most hated girl in Tulsa. He wasn't, frankly, very worried about the three Socs. Katrina could clearly handle them, and starting tomorrow she would probably hang out with the gang a lot. He could see Two-Bit and Katrina getting along well. He was more worried about those Socs singling Kat out in the future, when there were more of them. Mostly, though, Darry was concerned about Katrina's problem with Dallas. Dallas wouldn't dare harm her once he found out she was the Curtis's cousin. That wasn't his way. But it had the potential to get rather icy and awkward between the two. _So much for birds of a feather flocking together,_ he thought. _Well, actually, apparently they do end up flocking together, but it doesn't turn out so well!_

Katrina was beginning to feel defensive. She knew she had to find a way to end this conversation, or she would completely go on auto-pilot self-defense mode and end up hacking her cousin's head off like a ninja in those slasher movies. Kat would really prefer that didn't happen, since she had just found somewhere non-shitty to live, and Darry seemed like an okay person. "I'll apologize to Dally when I see him," she relented. "I'll tell him I didn't know who he was, which is the truth." Not the whole truth, since she'd had the suspicion, but the truth nonetheless.

"I think that's about the best you can do," Darry agreed. "Dally's not the most level-headed of people, but much of the time he's not unreasonable. He would have done the exact same thing in your situation, and he knows it. Although he probably would've actually pulled the switch. I'm glad you didn't." He said the last part with a smile.

Katrina replied, "Yeah, chopping up your friend wouldn't have made me too popular with the rest of the gang. On the other hand, right about now I would love to chop up a steak. Can we have dinner now?" As if on cue, Soda and Pony marched into the kitchen and sat down.

"You two already ate! It's Johnny and Kat's turn," Darry told them, much to their distaste.

"But we got mac'n'cheese! They get something good, is that steak?" Soda whined, looking at the delicious meal that had been prepared for Kat.

"Darry clearly already likes me better. He has good taste," Katrina joked with a sly wink. Soda answered by sticking his tongue out and walking away to the living room.

Katrina and Johnny ate their steak in silence, since neither really wanted to waste valuable time talking that could be spend chewing. Katrina ate like someone who hadn't had anyone cook for them in a long time, which made sense. She also had a complete lack of table manners, but nobody really cared. They weren't going to bug her for not using a damn _napkin. _Finally, she finished, pushing the plate away from her.

"That was real good, Darry, thanks."

"No problem, Kat," he replied.

Katrina took a shower and changed into a loose-fitting shirt and sweatpants. "I'm gonna go to bed. Can someone show me which room is mine?" she asked.

Darry got up from the couch. "Sorry, I forgot earlier. It's right over there." He led her to the end of the hall. It was a nice room, not too large, but a comfortable size. Her bags had been wheeled in there and were sitting next to a dresser. Altogether, it was one of the nicer places Katrina had slept. "It used to be my room. I sleep in our parents' room now," Darry told her.

"Thanks, Darry, although I hope you didn't switch bedrooms just for me."

Darry shook his head. "Nah, I switched right after the crash."

She nodded knowingly. "Where's Johnny gonna sleep? On the couch?"

"That's where all our guests sleep. We get them a lot, so don't expect the couch to be unoccupied when you wake up."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Goodnight, Darry."

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," he replied with a touch of irony as he went out of her room and shut the door. Bedbugs were probably the last thing Kat was worried about. She climbed under the covers and was out like a light, sleeping peacefully for the first time in many years. But still, she slept lightly, ready to awaken at the slightest noise. This side effect of living on the streets could be dulled with time, but would never really leave her. On several occasions, it had saved her life. Now, she hopefully wouldn't need it.

And so ended Katrina's first day in Tulsa.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey y'all, I know it's been like months and months since I added a chapter. I could tell you that I was working on something more important, but that would be a lie. The truth is that I forgot. So I wrote this chapter a while ago. There's a quote from the Avengers movie in here, see if you can catch it! (Any Avengers fans out there, leave a review and I'll find a way to integrate another quote into the next chapter! Peace out.)**

The next day, Katrina woke up to a loud crash. "Dammit, Steve!" she heard Darry yell from the kitchen. Oh, fun. It was time to meet a member of the infamous gang. From the Curtis's detailed description of each person, Kat remembered that Steve was the moody one whose dad sometimes got drunk and beat him up, then paid Steve to make up for it. Strange thing to do. Katrina preferred people who were consistent.

Kat got up, stretched, and pulled on a tank top. She tied her hair up and put on some denim shorts, and she was ready, since she rarely wore much makeup. She opened her door and walked down the hall into the kitchen.

"Mornin'," she yawned, pouring herself a bowl of cereal without bothering to ask. A brown-haired boy she hadn't seen before looked somewhat sheepishly at the shards of a bowl that seemed to have been dropped on the floor. Darry then walked in with a broom, which he tossed to the brown-haired boy.

"If you're wonderin', Kat, this is Steve. One of these days I'm gonna start charging him for everything he breaks around here," Darry told her. Clearly, this wasn't an uncommon occurrence, nor did Darry seem overly fond of Steve. This could be an interesting story; she'd have to ask Pony or Soda about it later. Steve nodded at her as he finished sweeping up the fragments.

"Nice to meet you, Katrina. Your cousins have told us a lot about you," Steve remarked in a much more polite fashion than usual. At least he was making an effort, even if it was just because Darry would pound him if he didn't.

Katrina replied, "Oh, really? And what did you hear?" This was a kind of test. Kat wanted to figure out right away whether she would get along with this guy or piss him off, like with Dallas. She wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing Dallas again. He didn't seem like a forgive-and-forget kind of guy.

Steve shrugged, "Well, they said you could kick some serious ass."

Katrina laughed. "Got that right. But honestly, Darry, out of all the things you could have shared of my stunningly charismatic personality, you chose that? Why not tell them about my great sense of humor and wonderful vocabulary?"

Darry raised an eyebrow. "You have a wonderful vocabulary?"

"I just used the word 'charismatic', didn't I?" Katrina replied.

"Yes, but I wouldn't have thought your knowledge of seventh-grade-level words would be one of the qualities you prized about yourself."

"Oh, I know plenty of other words, but I'm pretty sure a seventh-grader would be punished for saying them in class."

Soda chose that moment to walk into the kitchen, and hearing her last statement, gave all of them a confused look. That look paired with his tangled hair made for quite a funny sight.

Katrina wouldn't be Katrina if she didn't tease him, so she said, "Geez, Soda, I dunno which is more amusing: your face or your bed head."

Soda wisely chose to ignore that dig, knowing that getting into a verbal battle with Kat was a no-win situation.

"What's for breakfast?" Soda asked.

"Whatever you can find or want to cook," Darry replied.

"But you were up before me! It's your turn to cook breakfast!" Soda protested. Katrina filed away this information in her brain. It could come in handy at some point. At least, she'd make sure she was never the first one up.

Darry sighed, "Well, I _would_ cook breakfast, Soda, but it seems that _someone_ forgot to get eggs and milk, even though I reminded that someone yesterday to go shopping. Now, what is your reaction to the breakfast arrangement?"

"On second thought, I would _love_ some dry cereal!"

"Good choice," Darry smirked.

A few minutes later, Ponyboy walked into the kitchen still half-asleep. He poured a bowl of cereal and left, going to eat his little breakfast in the living room.

Kat glanced at his older brothers. "Well, he seems social today."

Soda replied, "He's a bit of a zombie in the morning. He gets better as the day goes on."

"Geez, I hope so. It wouldn't be good if he was like this all the time."

She strode into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to Ponyboy.

"So, how do you like dry cereal?" Kat asked.

Pony shrugged, "I'm not a fan of cereal in general, but since Soda forgot to go shoppin', it's pretty much the only option."

"Pretty stupid of him, huh?"

"Yeah. But lucky for him, _he_ can get away with this kinda thing and not get screamed at by Darry," Ponyboy replied, his voice bitter.

_Uh-oh,_ Katrina thought. This seemed like it was more than a one-time thing. While Katrina cared about her cousins, she didn't want to get caught up in any messy family things, being the below-average family counselor that she was. Grasping at a way to change the subject smoothly, she said, "Ah well, one day without milk never killed anyone. I would be more worried about lethal objects, if I were you."

Ponyboy smiled and said sarcastically, "Thanks, Kat. Next time I complain about something, I'll think, _'At least I'm not being impaled by a lethal object.'_"

"Aha!" Katrina exclaimed.

Pony jumped, startled. "What?" he asked.

"You just displayed a sense of humor. I win!"

Ponyboy smiled again. "I didn't know this was a contest."

Katrina replied, "First life lesson, little cousin: everything is a contest. If you know that, you'll do just fine in the world of competitive people."

He raised an eyebrow, "Ok. Just know that because you told me this, you have no excuse next time when I beat you in an unexpected contest."

"Are you trash talkin' me, little cousin? Wanna know how that's gonna work out for you?"

He laughed at her mock-serious expression. "So you've decided to call me 'little cousin' now?"

She nodded. "Unless you'd prefer 'little greaser boy' or something equally irrelevant."

"Little cousin it is."

Darry walked into the room. "Time to meet the gang, you guys. That probably means you'll want to get dressed, Pony."

Katrina, always snarky, chimed in with an unhelpful comment. "Unless you'd prefer meeting Dallas and the others in your pajamas. _That_ would earn you a lot of street cred."

Darry looked at her, but there was no amusement in his expression. "Thank you for bringing up the subject of Dally, Katrina, I'd almost forgotten."

"Glad to be a help."

Darry glared at her. "Is everything a joke to you?"

"Funny things are."

"Well, having Dallas Winston as an enemy isn't funny, so we should be able to have a normal conversation." Katrina bit back a retort that immediately sprang to her tongue. Darry continued: "I'm not happy that Dallas is pissed at you before he even knows you, but there's nothing I can do about that, so I've moved on."

It didn't sound to Katrina that he'd moved on, but she thought it best not to say so. Instead, she asked, "So what do you recommend, based on your knowledge of Dallas' character?" She was proud that she kept the sarcasm out of her voice. Another hard-learned lesson: only let people know what you're feeling if it will help you manipulate them. Not the kindest skill to have, but with endless applications.

Darry said, "Obviously, he's not gonna be overjoyed when he finds out that he has to interact with you on a regular basis. It'll help that neither of you knew who the other was when this happened, but that won't completely make up for it. He'll probably get over it eventually, as long as you don't piss him off again."

Kat was trying to listen and take this seriously, but she felt now she had to say something. "Why are you treating this like I'm the one who owes an explanation? He wasn't exactly being civil to me, but I don't see you asking me to forgive him, which won't happen anytime soon, by the way. I reacted the way any tough street girl would react. He provoked me. The way I see it, he is more at fault than I am."

Darry sighed. She was completely right. But for God's sake, what was he supposed to do? Darry had never seen two people who were more likely to rub each other the wrong way. Neither was sorry for their actions, and neither would apologize. "I know, Katrina! You were justified! Does that make you feel any better? But what do you want me to do? I can't make Dally friendlier toward you. I can't ask him to go back and un-say whatever he said that night. I just want you two to get along, since you're my cousin and he's my friend. Is that too much to ask?"

He was right, but Katrina couldn't just smooth over the situation. She stood by her actions, for better or worse. "I understand. I'll do my best, but you can't ask me to beg him for forgiveness or just forget what he said."

"Fair enough." That was all the movement he could expect from her. Dallas was impulsive, but he was smart, and would listen to reason. This whole thing would have just been another interaction between two tough greasers if it weren't for Kat being their cousin or Dallas being their friend. Dallas would understand that.

Ponyboy reappeared, now dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. "I'm ready," he announced.

"Let's go, then," Darry replied. He got up off the couch, but before they joined Steve and Soda at the door, he imparted one more bit of advice to Katrina. "Probably nobody has told Dally about you bein' our cousin yet, so it will probably be surprising to him. Just so you're prepared for his hateful glare."

Katrina smiled. Hateful glares, she could deal with. "I'll try to be strong." Then she remembered Johnny. "Hey, where did Johnny go? He was here last night."

"He left just a few minutes before you woke up. He was goin' home to change clothes, so he'll meet us in a while."

"All right. Let's do this thing!"

Darry wished he could be as enthusiastic as she was.

They headed out the door, and to the place where they would meet Two-Bit and Dally.

Katrina found Steve to be a fine person to be around, so the walk wasn't awkward. She didn't have anything against him yet. After a few minutes of playing the awkward 'getting-to-know-you' game and pretending they hadn't already been told these things by Darry, Soda, and Pony, the conversation moved to something more interesting and less pointless. Johnny joined them about halfway through the walk. But too soon, they were at the place where they would meet the remaining two gang members.

Soon, Kat saw two figures walking toward them. One was wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt and seemed to have an omnipresent playful smile. The other figure, the one she recognized from last night, was the opposite. There was nothing whimsical about him, with his worn leather jacket and a cold expression. His hair was very blond, and his features roughly cut. All in all, he looked like someone to be avoided. Katrina couldn't wait to meet him.

As the two boys drew closer, Dally caught sight of the girl standing with Johnny and the Curtises. His eyes narrowed. It couldn't possibly be that broad from last night, but it was. _Oh, shit,_ he thought, with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Now he would be expected to be civil to her, and that wouldn't come easily to him. She had dumped Coke on his head, for God's sake! The fact that he had deserved it was irrelevant. He hung back, not eager to speak to them.

Two-Bit, on the other hand, had no such reservations. He figured she was someone who was not to be ogled at, but damn, that broad was fine. He walked right up to Katrina, offering his hand and saying, "I don't believe I've been graced with your company before. I'm Two-Bit Matthews, and you are?"

Katrina grinned. The Curtises had described him perfectly. "Katrina Jackson. I 'spect you've heard of me."

"Ah, yes. You're quite well known around here, at least among this gang. We've heard many stories of your dramatic triumphs over the forces of evil!"

"Not a word of those stories is exaggerated. I am every bit as amazing as you have been led to believe."

"Any less would be a disappointment. After all-"

Their lively conversation was interrupted someone loudly clearing their throat. Katrina didn't even have to look to know who it was: Dallas Winston. Cold blue eyes met cold green ones, and neither of them said a word. Two-Bit clearly had no idea what was going on, and looked back and forth between the two with a confused expression.

It was Sodapop who broke the silence. "Dally, this is our cousin Katrina. Katrina, Dallas Winston." The introduction was completely unnecessary, but he felt he had to say _something_ to lessen the tension.

Katrina nodded, not taking her eyes off Dallas. She had been told that Dallas wouldn't harm a friend of the Curtises, but she still didn't trust him out of her sight. "We've met," she said in a toneless voice.

"Indeed," Dallas replied.

Two-Bit realized that this wasn't something he wanted to be involved in, so he decided to take a little walk around instead, motioning for Soda and Pony to follow. With any luck, he could figure out from them what the hell was going on between Dallas and Katrina. They walked until they were well out of earshot but could still see if a fight broke out. Steve and Johnny also wandered off.

Meanwhile, Darry shifted, uncomfortable with this staredown. This was going exactly how he had feared. Clearly, neither of the NYC natives was going to initiate the conversation, so Darrel took it upon himself to do so. "Look, I realize that the two of you had a disagreement, but that was before you had even met. I want both of you to put this behind you and try not to piss each other off."

They both looked at Darry as if he had gone slightly loony in the head. They were _made_ to piss each other off, and both of them knew it.

Katrina decided that because her cousins were being so nice to let her stay with them, she should probably at least make an effort. "I know you didn't know I was their cousin when we first met," she said to Dallas. He shook his head but said nothing. She continued, "And I didn't know you were their friend. So we both reacted like we would with anyone else."

"Correct, but that doesn't change the fact that you dumped a Coke on my head," Dallas replied unhelpfully.

Katrina bristled with anger. She was trying to be reasonable, the least he could do was stop being an ass. "As I recall, you fully deserved it."

"What the hell did I do? I'm just a guy, hitting on a girl who looked like she could be fun. I bet you've had guys hit on you before, and I'm also betting you reacted in a more friendly way than dumpin' Coke on them."

_Oh, he __didn't_, Katrina thought, furious. "So, you assume that because I'm from New York, I'm automatically a slut?" She spoke in a dangerously quiet voice, but anyone with a brain could hear the hostility simmering beneath a thin veil of tranquility. Dally did, apparently, have a brain, so he wisely chose not to answer.

"Let's just get one thing straight, Winston," Katrina said, stepping closer to Dallas to jab his chest with her finger. "I am not easy. _Never_ suggest that again, or I promise I will _not_ forget it." She gave him a little push just to prove her point.

Dallas, unaffected by the push itself, was really appalled that a broad would dare to push him. This girl was a spunky thing, no doubt about it. He admired that, but she had crossed a line. Her neck was so little and fragile, and it took a fair amount of his self-control to avoid reaching out and choking her, just until she learned to give him some respect. He let himself indulge in this fantasy for a few seconds, and then came back to reality. "I'll be sure to remember that," he said to her, in a bitter voice.

She bobbed her head quickly. Ignorance, she could forgive. Deciding that Dallas had meant no personal offense the previous night in the store, she would let it slide for now, barring a second incident. "All right. If we can both let go of what happened before we met, I'm willing to move on." In reality, she was just sick of talking about it.

Dallas nodded. "I guess I didn't handle it that well. Just don't dump Coke on me again." Wait, did he just say something that could be construed as an apology? He was losing it.

"No promises."

Dallas didn't so much crack a smile as waver in his glare, but that was the first glimpse of humor he had shown thus far. He just couldn't figure this girl out. _One day she tells me to jump off a cliff, the next she cracks a joke. One minute she pushes me, the next she says we should move on. What's next?_

"We cool?" she asked.

"Fine." This was how things worked. People got pissed, blew up, moved on. He had done this many a time with Tim Shepard. Except negotiations between Dallas and Tim usually involved fists rather than words.

Darry, who had been standing there awkwardly throughout this whole interaction, blew out a deep breath of relief. He waved the others over.

Soda looked at Darry like, _Glad that's over._ Darry nodded in agreement. Maybe, if they were lucky, they could keep their friends and what was left of their family intact. And that was all anyone could hope for.

Two-Bit decided Katrina needed a tour of the town, so the group set off walking down the street, each member of the gang pointing out some landmark they felt she should know. Darry was relieved to see that while Katrina and Dallas were treating each other with some coolness, they were not totally ignoring each other. With time, and maybe a few bribes, they might work their way up to full conversations. Fingers crossed.

**Did you find the quote? If not, I forgive you. It's a wittle one.**


End file.
